Why You Should Use a Facepiece Respirator not a Dust Mask anymore?

Should you use a respirator or a dust mask?

According to Aaron Barnett of BangingToolbox: Most people think that a dust mask is good enough. But why is it better to use a facepiece respirator?

The question sparks confusion among construction workers, especially the ones who need one the most. Some people think they have the same efficiency.

The construction site hosts a lot of particulates that can harm workers. We are not only talking about dust. We are talking about harmful smoke, wood fibers, fumes, fiber glass dust, silica, lead, paint, and cement particles.

The thought of having any of them in the air we breathe is already suffocating. But what if you work around dust daily?

Whether you are a manager, contractor, or laborer, we cannot imagine the amount of dust in your workplace with a few minutes of exposure. 

According to National Weather Service, even the purest air may contain about 1000 dust particulates for every cubic meter of air [1]. What more in a construction setting, where you can catch cement, wood, and concrete dust from grinding, drilling, or cutting?

For this reason, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) required employers to impose the use of respirators with canisters, cartridges, or air-purifying filters in their respective workplaces [2].

These types of PPE are called respirators and provide better protection than standard construction dust masks that most workers are still using.

If you want to know why you should change to a face respirator, we’ll show you in a bit.

Better protect yourself from – silica dust found in concrete dust, masonry, and cement sheet boards.

What is a Dust Mask?

A dust mask, also known as Filtering Face Respirator (FFR), is a construction face mask with a filter that protects the user from dust. In a construction setting, a dust mask will provide basic protection from sawdust and insulation dust. 

When the user inhales, the air passes through layers of the filter and melt-down fabrics that trap and filter particulates. 

Some dust masks have exhalation valves that open when the user exhales. This feature prevents the build-up of moisture inside the mask, making it more comfortable than other dust masks.

For dust masks without this feature, the build-up of moisture reduces the filter efficiency as it blocks the material and causes breathing difficulty. 

The problem with this disposable mask for construction dust is it doesn’t always seal around the face properly, giving way to smaller unfiltered particles into the mask like silica dust.

Silica dust can be as just as harmful as asbestos in large quantities, additionally so if you are also a smoker.

What is a Facepiece Respirator?

A respirator contains more advanced filtration technology that helps safeguard people from vapors, chemicals, gases, and infectious agents.

It comes in half-face, full-face, with different air-purifying technologies and designs.

These masks are recommended for concrete dust and other hazardous substances. The masks have great protection because of their cartridge, canisters, or replaceable air-purifying filters, along with a more comfortable and better-fitting seal around the edges.

They also work by filtering harmful gases, vapors, smoke, dust, and aerosols, depending on the model and filter.

This type of respirator is reusable and made of durable rubber and silicone. Because of this construction, the respirator can fit and seal properly into the user’s face, no matter the shape. This only means that no unfiltered air gets into the respirator.

Why a reusable mask respirator is better than a dust mask?

1. Better filtration capabilities

What makes the filtration capabilities of a reusable respirator better than a dust mask?

A facepiece respirator consists of inhalation and exhalation ports. Once the user inhales, he draws air into the filter, trapping contaminants.

When the user exhales, the air escapes directly from the respirator without trapping or going through the filter. 

Also, a respirator uses particulate air (HEPA) filters or activated carbon filters to trap contaminants and purify the air inhaled by the user. 

Compared to dust masks, these respirators have multiple filter layers that are comfortable without making breathing difficult, which would tempt the user to break the seal around the face.

2. More comfortable and better fit

A respirator is made of rubber or silicon, while dust masks are composed of disposable non-woven fabrics.

Because of the flexible construction, the respirator can fit more comfortably into the face, while the dust masks cannot follow the contours of the user’s face.

Some dust masks do fit tight for the first few minutes, but as they are made to be disposable after only one wear, most workers continue to use the same mask for an entire day.

Disposable masks are also not as economically or environmentally friendly as a proper construction respirator.

Additionally, the recommended mask is more comfortable because you can feel the respirator not letting in unwanted air.

The tradie knows that the safety gear is working more effectively, rather than just wearing a standard dust mask, because the company requires the image for their safety policy.

For a respirator, you are sure that it consists of exhalation valves that make breathing easier.

3. Durable and quality built

It’s not surprising for respirators to be more durable because they are made of rubber or silicone.

If you compare it to dust masks that you can easily crush by hand, respirators maintain their shape and sealability. 

Respirators are extremely flexible. Even when exposed to chemicals, it can maintain its shape and elasticity.

These air-purifying construction face masks with filter can withstand chemicals, tears, and abrasions that usually occurs in a demanding environment like the building site.

And lastly, the straps should be impressively durable on better-quality masks.

The straps could either be made of elastic bands, neoprene, nylon or polyester webbing, or thermoplastic elastomers.

The mask itself is built to last, with only needing to replace the filters if you pick a mask that has a superior quality strap.

4. Lower breathing resistance

In general, it is more difficult to breathe in a dust mask. It doesn’t have advanced technology that lets users breathe comfortably. Sometimes you have to remove the dust mask to draw more air, but that would be dangerous if you are working in a hazardous environment. Sometimes the air you are breathing is not through the actual filter.

Why does a facepiece respirator have lower breathing resistance?

• It utilizes advanced filter media.
• You can breathe in through the respirator and whale through the exhalation valves because of the tighter seal around your face like a diving mask.
• Unfiltered air is unlikely to go through the edges.

Plus, did you know that facepiece respirators, both full and half-faced, undergo rigorous breathing tests?

5. Replaceable filters

A respirator is customizable. You can change the filter or cartridge according to the level of protection you need based on the hazardous substances you will be exposed to.

For example:

If you are working every day with smoke, sawdust, or concrete dust, you can change your filter with particulate flyers. They are usually rated as 95, 99, or 100. 

If you work in an environment with frequent chemical and gas exposure, you can use gas and vapor filters.

This feature is unavailable for dust masks since they are disposable. And most of the time, they are rated for only single-use. However, some dust masks are rated effective for eight or ten hours. Always use according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.

6. Environmental impact

Since respirators are reusable, they are more environment-friendly. Compared to dust masks, dust masks leave a pile of trash as any single-use item does.

They are also costly, considering the time that is wasted by site supervisors ordering new masks when workers ask for protection.

7. OSHA Compliance

Knowing that you work in an environment compliant with OSHA’s respiratory protection standard, you know you are working in a safe place.

You can work without worry of single-handedly facing the implications of a harsh working environment without protection.

Use Facepiece Respirators

Respirators are crucial equipment for protection in a hazardous environment like a building site or even a small workshop and in the garage at home.

A respirator adds more layers of protection with added comfort and air-purifying capabilities than a dust mask.

For people who are always exposed to chemicals, sawdust, smoke, or aerosol, a respirator will always be a first class investment not only for your job but also for your health.

Silica found in concrete, masonary and cement sheet products is the new asbestos, and every time someone sweeps the building site with concrete dust, there should be proper masks being used.

• Cleaning and sweeping should be done right at the end of the day when carpenters and other tradies have left the building site.
• Cutting cement sheets should always be done in isolated outdoor areas.
• Vacumes, water sprayers, and dust extraction units should always be used to control dust before it is made airborne.